By Jerry Jordan, Editor
POMONA, Cali. – The Top Fuel dragsters had made only two passes in the first round of eliminations on Sunday when the action came to a halt. A small plane crashed into the drivers’ RV lot, striking at least three vehicles and an RV.
The single-engine, green and white plane came in low over the parking lot at the In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, appearing as if it were attempting to land at Brackett Field near the end of the track. According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, they received an alert of the crash at 11:11 a.m. but the NHRA Safety Safari and fire crews on scene for the drag racing event were already responding.
There were three passengers and the pilot in the plane and all of them survived. All were taken to an area hospital, but two of the individuals had “moderate to severe injuries,” according to Jonathan Torres, LA County Fire Department spokesperson Torres.
“From what we know, the units rendered lifesaving emergency medical services, as well as, mitigated any fire potential from the surrounding vehicles, generators and things of that sort,” Torres said “We have two critical patients and two moderate that have been transported to local emergency rooms. Health HazMat has been initiated, they have made contact here on the scene and they are mitigating any jet fuel that was lost in the accident.
“NTSB as well as FAA have been notified and they may, or may not be on the scene currently and the incident is under investigation at this time. The pilot did miss the dragstrip and the grandstands altogether.”
Torries said there were no injuries to anyone on the ground. He was also not sure if the plane’s pilot had issued a distress call.
As the events unfolded, the NHRA released the following statement, “Today, a small single-engine airplane crashed at the Pomona Fairplex. The pilot and three occupants of the aircraft all suffered minor to moderate non-life-threatening injuries and are being treated at a nearby hospital. The NHRA has been working closely with the Pomona Police Department and LA County Fire Department and has been guided to continue racing.”
The NHRA resumed racing at approximately 12:51 p.m., nearly two hours later.
